The City of Steinbach has introduced a new interactive map that helps businesses and developers find available land and enables residents to easily access basic data about their property. Mitchell Eastley, the city’s Geographical Information Systems Developer/Technician, explains you can click on any property in the city to find out things like the assessed value and its zoning category.

"You can punch in your civic address (or click on it) and it'll take you to your property and you'll be able to find assessment information for the year. You'll also be able to find the frontage and depth and area if it's also entered in and you can also see the dwelling unit count as well as the garbage collection cycle that you fall under and all that."

Eastley says the information is handy for home and business owners who are looking to make changes and need to know the specifics about their property.

"It gives them that basic information to get the groundwork and then they come to city hall and be better prepared when meeting with the administration."

He adds it will be especially helpful for people looking to develop in Steinbach. Eastley says the map operates in a very similar way to a Google map.

"This just takes it to another level where we're putting in our parcel information, our Official Community Plan information and zoning bylaws that normally you see on paper. This takes it into a digital environment."

Eastley cautions that although the mapping service provides a lot of useful information and tools, including the ability to measure distances and areas and overlay aerial photography, it is not exact. The service does not replace a proper land survey.